Tobacco as a Cosmetic!

Tobacco as a Cosmetic!

The name tobacco has become almost an anathema now-a-days. The cigarette, smoking of which had almost assumed a status symbol has now to be indulged in when nobody is looking on and that too pull up a few, quick smokes and ward of the evil smoke. This was also so initially for it was bad manners to smoke in the presence of the seniors. I remember my visit to a village head, a senor man who had fallen on evil days. His two junior brothers were sitting by. Suddenly one junior brother asked the elder to look the other way. Thinking that he was pointing out to something interesting I also turned my eyes in the same direction but did not find anything noteworthy. When I brought my eyes to the original position I found the two juniors having a smoke and the senior’s eyes still turned away. It was apparently an attempt to keep up appearances of honouring the elders.

I was associated with tobacco in my career not as a smoker but as a revenue officer collecting taxes on the produce. The proposal for levy of tax on tobacco was first mooted in 1924 but each succeeding Finance Minister has tried to avoid going in for it. The popular phrase going round the finance ministries at the time was NIMTOL(Not in my time, O Lord). The imposition and collection of a tax on tobaccowhich was the first unmanufactured product to be taxcd was a challenge and no finance minister dared to risk his reputation by resorting to the levy. However, will-nilly the government was forced to it during 1942 , in the middle of the WWII years. The fears of the finance ministers were not misplaced. To build up a record of tobacco grown and ensuring that it reaches the market and pays the tax before it goes into consumption was indeed a difficult job. As a field officer I was never sure that I have registered all tobacco growers spread over the villages and that the produce had reached the market from where it went into consumption after payment of the duty due.We were strictly advised that our interest in registering the crops was only statistical in nature but as usually happens this statistical interest deteriorated into an instrument of harassment of the farmers. The inevitable effect was that cultivation of tobacco went down. I remember that in the Marathwada the banks of the river in the Gangakhed Taluka were always green with tobacco cultivation but soon they disappeared and replaced by other crops having no tax implications. The abrupt abolition of this tax by Mr..Charansingh ,the then Prime Minister for ‘Aut Ghataka’ did free the farmer from the ‘statistical interest’ of government but in any case the consumption of tobacco has progressively tended to come down what with the adverse health effect, the looking down upon chewing of tobacco(and spitting all over) and the smoking of the deshi biris Cigarette smoking remained in the upper echelons of the society as it always was and its smoking taken up largely by some under the fond impression that they looked like members of that society had also tended to come down. The prohibition of cigarette advertisements and looking down upon showing smoking scenes in pictures has further helped to wean away the smokers. The smoking of cigarette ,especially by girls was at one time taken as a sign of social liberation but even this has tended to come down. Even a matinee idol like SRK has been openly criticised for stubbornly pulling at it. There are also suggestions of making the No Smoking messages on the cigarette packets more aggressive than just tame suggestion ‘Smoking in injurious to health’ are also in the air(Hope they do not end into to make)

While this is happening for the greatest good of the greatest numbers a better way is to find alternative uses of tobacco for tobacco is still a significant produce of India. As the smoking ban is there almost the world over the prospect of finding out export market for tobacco are not very encouraging. However, alternatives and more constructive uses for tobacco could be found. Scientists have made a beginning in this direction from Israel. They have developed a substance from the plant that they claim could be used for, of all things, beauty enhancement. So far smoking of cigarettes the way Rajnikant does was considered an inimitable way to attract attention but no, the scientists have found out a way to use it as a beauty product as it is. Prof. Oded Shoseyov of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem has succeeded in producing from tobacco plants a replica of human collagen—the main protein in skin,tendons,bone,cartilage and connective tissues. As we grow old this protein declines ,showing the effect in wrinkles that set in. Of course there are a number of beauty products which claim to help us to hide them but the new synthetic collagen which is currently being marketed for medical purposes such as bone and heart repairs may someday be used cosmetically.Then perhaps the use of tobacco by women will not be looked down upon.

Hope we are also undertaking such research in our universities. It will help protect the undulating tobacco fields. In any case initially tobacco cultivation had been undertaken in India (coming from America via Britain) was essentially for improving the quality of the soil. It had little, if any, commercial aspect. Fields used to be alternated between tobacco and grain crops, which ensured high yields. The cultivation of tobacco by itself had no marketing implications. With the demand for tobacco going down on account of the sustained campaign against smoking and other forms of tobacco consumption the discovery of an alternative and constructive use for tobacco may help the sagging tobacco plants in the fields.

The Record Breakers

We frequently hear about somebody bringing this record or that record and that his name has been recorded in that years Guinness Book of World Records. Last year a 15 year boy has climbed the highest mountain peak –The Everest but this year two years’ his junior has achieved this feat.One wonder that a peak which was considered as unscalable by human till as late as 1953 has not only been captured but captured a number of times and not the peak or the bottom of it is this news as a child who has just touched the border of teenage has conquered it. The Everest must have bowed down not as an insult but with his head heavy with the pride of mankind which not only preserved this dream but also realized it again and again and again.

There are a few such records which remind us of the words of Hamlet,’ "What a piece of work is man! how noble in reason! how infinite in faculty! in form and moving how express and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehension how like a god! the beauty of the world, the paragon of animals! " Hamlet quote (Act II, Sc. II).

The minimum thermometer reading of an woman Mary Davis of Wisconsin(America) was 60 degree Farenheit.

A British hospital recorded the temperature of a patient as 114. The patient was Christopher. And the recording was on 9.2.1924.

The weight of the brain of the famous Russian writer Evon Turgnevh was 4 Lbs.6.7 ozs.The average weight of human brain is 2 Lbs.13 oxs.

In 1854 Dr. W.Dirge refers to man with four eyes. The additional two eyes were located on his forehead(like the Third of Lord Shankar). He used to see things with all his four eyes.

Giants are there but giantesses are almost unheard of even in mythology.Even the wife of the 10 heaeded monster Ravan was an ordinary one headed woman of normal build.But there was one Flora Jex who weighed 840 kgs.at the time of her death.

The the two ideal twins in the world were Bill and Brain.of Carolines(Caliphornia, America) One weighed 660 and another 640n pounds.

We say only Time is Two Faced-one in front and another at the back,looking to the future but also not losing sight of the past. One Englishman Edward had two faces similarly situated. But even though the face at the back was complete with eyes,nose and mouth . But while those eyes did have some vision the moutn could at most produce a sound of whistle. Good thing ,we may say, it saved him from double talk.

You may have come across people who are almost always yawning and yawning loudly. It need not necessarily mean they are tired or bored but is a malady.In 1888 there was a girl aged 15 which always yawned.. One such yawn actually lasted for five weeks.

The bonniest child ever born was Ellis How ,born on Ocvtober 12,1969.When he was just two years old he weighed 50 pounds and was 35.75 inches in circumference.

Dr.White says that one man had 13 fingers in each hand and 12 in each foot.

On 10th March 1967 a woman Maria Tery gave birth to eight babies in one birth. Their combined weight was nine and a half pounds. This is the only instance whtn so many children were delivered in one delivery.

Norway’s Heiss Langth has the longest beard—17-odd feet long.There was a competetor Rochard Litter whose beard

was six inches longer.But it is not as much thick.

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A slim waist is a sign of beauty.The French actress Mali Polari. She has just a suggestion of waist—hardly13 inches.She was related to the French Court.

Luria Jebart of Mexico was the lightest living individual.

Ganga will follow Saraswati

There was perhaps a time in ancient past when Ganga was not there. Whether the legend of King Bhagirath who is credited with having brought the Ganga on the earth from the heavens is just myth is not sure. One version depends on the fact that Ganga appears very late in the Vedas. It is quite possible that until the Aryas reached in its precincts they were ignorant about its existence. When their eyes first fell on the it and its sweep they thought that it was a blessing from the Heaven. Perhaps the Bhagirath branch of the Aryas was the first to cast its eyes on Ganga and he was given due credit for it by crediting him with having brought it from the Heavens in the story of Descent of Ganga.A yet another none the less romantic possibility the plains of North India were initially dull and dry as there was no water source to wet them. King Bhagirath diverted the flow of Ganga from its Northwards direction(into Tibet) to Southward into India.
The myth that Ganga was the daughter of Bhagirath (Hence the name Bharathi) suggests that.The invocation of celestial help in absorbing the initial force of the torrent was an oblique compliment to the tremendousness of the effort . The well chiseled look of the georges through which Ganga comes down the Himalayas may pardon the conjecture that it was human effort which brought the Gange flowing into the North to the South. The sole credit given to the Bhagirath for the descendance of Ganga on the earth would therefore, an appropriate . However, a closer look at the gorges would show that their smoothness is perhaps the result of water flowing through them through ages mellowing the rocks. Leaving aside the fact that engineering might not have attained those heights in those days it has to be conceded that is a distinct possibility within the reach of human efforts when we hear the present tales of diversion of the Brahmputra and even Ganges by China to water their fields.
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However, whether Ganga was a godsend or an outcome of human efforts one thing appears to be clear that it is human negligence and misuse or overexploitation that will make Ganga, at least in the present life-giving form, disappear.’ Even before China lifts its hands on stemming its Southward flow and make it Uttarwahini.This distinct possibility has been predicted in the Puranas in an oblique way. It is said that in the Kali Yug the Ganges would lose its sin-destroying (Aghnashan) property. The waters which at one time were considered so powerful that just taking one dip in it destroyed all our sins is progressively(or rather regressively) ‘dis’credited with the distinct possibility that the dip may earn skin or even more infections . Quite apart from its much-extolled name ‘aghanashini’(destroyer of sins) it did and does have distinct possibility of remaining pure over a long time. In earlier times world sea farers who had to remain on the seas for long stretches gratefully acknowledged the property of the Ganga waters to remain pure almost indefinitely. The waters could be straightway drunk even after long storage on the ships ,without the need of boiling them first, a property no other river water had.

While Bhagirath brought it for us all the way—may be from Heaven or the Himalayas- we have proved ourselves unworthy of being called his successors. The purification property of the waters have been stretched far, too far. While it was quite reasonable to expect it to clean our bodies to stretch it to washing our sins which though actually committed through the agency of the body were essentially the dictates of a diseased mind. The concept was conveniently stretched to cleaning our sins and not only crmations of bodies occurred on its banks but the idea was further extended ludicrously to purity ourselves of all sins by actually being drowned it it.(Jal Samadhi). No just common men but even kings and sadhus considered drowning oneself in the waters as seeking exemption from all the bodily sins. This further deteriorated to cremating the bodies only perfunctorily on the banks and throwing the half-burnt bodies in the running waters and believing that it would take care of burning out all the sins committed by the bodies. The sight of half-burnt human bodies coming down with the current presents such a disgusting spectacle and throws poor light on our consideration on our departed dear ones, we who did not arrange a decent cremation or burial of the departed ones.The pollution of the water was a side effect of our callousness. Is it that we ourselves are working overtime to bring to fruition the ancient curse that sooner or later, sooner rather than latter, the Ganga will lose its unique property of obtaining absolution from sins for us?

Not only but many other rivers which also were commonly called Ganga are regressively losing their purification properties. During the last half a century there has been a fall of 20 percent in the Ganga flow.There is every indication that this rate is going to increase in the coming years. At this rate Ganga will dry up completely in the next fifty years.If China goes on with its efforts for diversion of the Ganga at source this may come about much earlier. Ganga which came all the way from the Heavens on account of solicitation for us will willy-nilly not be any more able to oblige us because where in its first fall from the heaven it got entangled in the flowing hairs of Lord Shankar this time it may be stemmed by the Chinese. In any case, why should it take to descend again looking to the insult we have heaped upon her so far? Never mind if our sins are not washed away her drying up will the Ganga holding back itself will devastate the over 300 millions human population living on its banks not to count the unaccountable countless fish, tortoises,crocodiles and other water animals and dry up the green forests on its banks.

Bhagirath has done his job may be not for us but for the emancipation of his ancestors from the curse of the sage . We are the incidental beneficiaries of this bounty. Perhaps if the descent of Ganga was actually brought about by the king employing labour to chsel a way for Ganga through the Himalayas it is all the moiré necessary for us to save Ganga if the labours of the countless labourers which might have been employed and worked on the job.The saving of Ganga will be our silent tribute to those generations of labourers who had worked on the Herculean job.

Are we really descendents of those indefatigable generations of labourers?
If we are not Ganga will one day hide herself like Saraswati and we would be looking for us for generations. In fact, as people have increasingly lost hope of finding Saraswati and have almost given it up putting it down as just a dream we may find ‘learned’ people among us arguing that Ganga never existed.

Cashflow

Cash flow is the lifeblood of your business. Without it, your business will wither and die regardless of how many sales you've made or how much money is owed to you.
Cash flow represents the amount of money coming in to your business through services rendered and products sold, and money going out to cover expenses and production costs.
Your primary responsibility as a business owner is to ensure the flow is consistent with more money coming in than going out so a pool starts to form to hold the overflow. This overflow is what allows you to make early payments so you can benefit from vendor discounts, to take advantage of special deals, capitalize on newfound opportunities, and easily cover unexpected emergencies. As soon as cash flow fails to produce the surplus funds you need, challenges arise and stress and overwhelm quickly follow.
Integrate these seven simple rules to your operating strategies and enjoy the benefits of a steadily growing cash pool.
1. Request payment prior to delivering your product or service.
If your service is delivered over an extended period of time and asking for a one-time payment in advance isn't realistic, divide the payment into segments and request payment in advance of each new time frame.
For example, if you provide weekly house cleaning, consider requesting payment at the beginning of each month in advance of providing your services - or suggest three or six months payment in advance and offer a discount as an incentive. A mere 10 percent discount over a three-month period could put an extra $100 or more into your client's pocket. Many will jump at that deal.
2. Pay every bill on time to avoid late payment charges and earlier only if special payment discounts apply.
As a hair stylist working primarily with cancer patients, imagine spending one thousand dollars a month on wigs. If the supplier offers 2/10, net 30 as payment terms, you will save two percent by paying your invoice within ten days. That might only be $20, but over a year, it adds up to $240.
Take advantage of this incentive with every supplier that offers it and you could keep thousands of dollars in your business that you would otherwise have spent.
3. Deposit payments as soon as you receive them.
Instead of making one or two trips to the bank each month, make them daily or weekly. Letting checks lie around increases the risk of loss. Also, go to a teller when making your deposit. Using an ATM machine removes any evidence you deposited real cash or checks. An employee or technical error or internal theft could create problems you simply don't need.
4. Use a business credit card whenever possible for travel, meals, and minor expenses.
This leaves more cash in your hands and defers payment. Using a card that awards travel miles also helps you cut future travel costs. I've enjoyed cruises and free flights to business conferences thanks to air miles.
5. Create continuity sales.
Build a product or service into your business that your client could use on a continual basis. For example, if you run a bookkeeping business and your clients struggle with cash flow, recommend bank reconciliation services every month.
Many clients hand a box of receipts to their bookkeeper at the end of each year and cross their fingers hoping they did well. Helping your clients understand exactly where they are each and every month is an exceptional service that many will jump at. One client at $30 a month would give you $360. Ten clients at the same amount, paid in advance would give you $3,600 cash at the start of the year.
6. Create something that allows you to do the work once, but profit from over and over again.
For example, many of today's business owners are creating e-books (electronic books) and audio recordings sharing valuable tips, information and knowledge that improve the health, happiness and prosperity of others.
Selling electronic products online removes production costs and provides a steady flow of funds into your business.
7. Invest your overflow.
Once you have built a comfortable overflow, consider investing some of it to make it grow even faster for you. Letting a large sum of money sit in your bank account does nothing to accelerate growth. Talk to an investment professional and find out how you can make that money work for you.

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Start with these seven simple rules and get creative. Brainstorm ideas for special offers, continuity programs, passive revenue streams and investment possibilities.
Get input from professionals, mastermind members and your coach.

The Lion Roars again

Gujrath has left the adverse past of the comunal riots far behind and has forged ahread. Even if the some dismal tones of the dirge do linger these are increasingly getting faint and fainter. It is emerging as a premier state in India Its per capita income was the highest of all states in India.in the last year.However, its most remarkable recent achievment is the devoted attention it has bestowed on the preservation of its forest legacy—the lion.

India is the only country in Asia which has given refuge and rehabilitation to the lion—The Asiatic Lion. The Asiatic Lions once ranged from the Mediterranean to the north-east India but excessive hunting, water pollution and decline in natural prey reduced its habitat. Historically, Asiatic lions were classified into three kinds – Bengal, Arabian and Persian lions. Asiatic lion are smaller and lighter than their African counterparts, but are equally aggressive.. This Lion (Panthera leo persica) now survives only in India in the Gir Forest ofGujarat,

The Tiger has been now assigned the status of the national animal of India. But in the past people had proudly associated themselves with lion . A brave man was called “brave as lion’ . Many communitie4s e.g. Sikhs proudly bore called themselves Lions affixing ‘Sing’(Simha) after their invididual names.The Gir Forest which is the abode of the Asiatic lion fell within the erstwhile Junagadh State. The Nawab had maintained a large Lion House(Sinha Griha) in the capital . It was a great puller of foreign tourists to the State. After Partition Junagarh which was coveed by the terrotories of India on all sides was reaonably speaking required to merge with India. But the Nawab who was a Muslim took advantage of the freedom available to rules of the Indian States to merge with any of the two parts in which India was partititioned. He signed an Instrument of Accession to Pakistan and so within the terms of the orders Junagadh would have become a part of Pakistan surrounded on all sides by Indian Territory. This would have created an impossible situztion Pakistan in time demand an access route for itself through the Indian territory to Junagadh. However, the subjects of the state who were mostly Hindus conducted big demonstrrations against the Nawab. Seeing the vile mood of the prople the Nawab quite ran to Pakistan and dies there. For a long time Junagadh continued to be shown as part of Pakistan and Pakistan every now and then raising this issue in mutual discussions and international forums. That way Mr Bhutto who was then P.M. of Pakistan had also laid a claim toi the Portuguese Colonies in India which subsequently merged with India after the Portuguese were driven out. For some time these places were referred to as Portuguese Pakistan and shown as such in Pakistani maps but all these legal fictions quitely died their own deaths in time.

A very interesting episode of the time when Junagadh was captured by its subjects for India relates to the Sinha Griha. The subjects were prodominantly Jains who believed in non-violence.When the question of feeding the lions cropped upsome strongly religious persons suggested that they should consider steps to feed them on vegetarian dietrs. The outcome need hardly be told. The lions literally took the Sinha Griha on their heads roaring for food.

However, better sense prevailed in due course.and the Lion Houses and also the Gir Forests were well looked after.with the result that the number of lions increased, their sex ration got better, the beasts became healthy and prospered in Gujrath. Chief Minister Mr. Narendra Mody recently declared the latest census of the beasts there which strands at 411, an increase of half a century over the last count taken four years ago in 2005.

A still more encouraging sign is that the lion refuses to stay in the sanctuary. Contrary to the original thinking it has been observed that it has slowly but surely extened its claim to more territory.As many as 33 big cats were observed 250 kms away .in the semi forest areas of Palitana and Bhavnagar. More than 74 lions are now roaming outside the sancuary and near human habitation areas. These areas are fast becoming the new habitats of the big cat. Cioastal areas of Rajula and Jafrabad in Amreli have also recorded sizeable population of the big cats

The sexual ration of the lion population is also quite enoouraging There are 97 males for 162 females. A lion is propervially considered to be a non-believer in monogamy as the Sanskrit appellation ‘bahubharya kesari’ for a lkon suggests. The population has also a high proportion of the young cubs(77 ages less than a year)There are other 75 or more fakkubg ub syv-adykt categirty ( 1 –3 years)The maximum number of lions—297—were found in the Gir National Park and it’s adjoining areas.

Mention has already made of the increasingly favourable sex ration.the proportion this year has gone up to l.67 females for one male which is an improvement over the previous ratioo of l.2:l. . Mr. Mody made a pithy observation that we should draw a lesson from them to ensure a fair male to female ration among humans which seems to have become rather askewed of late.Gujrath has established a new abaode in 2007 at Girnar and the lions seem to like it as already 24 beasts have made it their home.

What is more satisfying to note that the local people have also become used and grown fond of the lions. Despite the fact that the roaming beasts kill their cattle the locals donot mind it .They now consider the lions as part of their own families.They defiantly rejected any proposal to give some of these lions to the neighbouring Madhy Pradesh for its forests. There has been an unfortunate poaching incident in the Gir in 2007.The locals blame themselves for this ascribing it to their own failure to take good care of their family members.

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May be it is too early to persuade the locals to let the Sinha Raja to roam and reclaim his Asiatic title back.by reclaiming the Meditarenean area and the North East India. .

Masterpieces before empty theatres

The story of Yama and his sister Yami in the Vedas shows that the earth was then flat and moreover there was no division of time between night and day. The gods must indeed have been happy then. They could switch it on the TV and watch the Tests between Gods XI vs Rakshas XI. and cheer or boo suitably. Don’t know what drove them to make the earth round leading to the division of time between day and night. But it does appear that, at least in the immediate aftermath of this switchover the days stretched long ,even for six months continuously and then followed by night .

The omniscient gods did not know or foresee what they were doing. For some temporary exigency they disturbed the entire time-schedule and the face of the earth.

Look to the time schedule of the T-20 world cup cricket matches just started.

India and Shri Lanka Opening Match --- --- 10-30 p.m.

Second Match… … … … … … … … 02-30 a.m.

Other matches

First match… … … … … … … … 7-00 p..m.

Second match…. … … … … … 11-00 p.m.

Afghanistan Opening Match… … … … 9.30 p.m.

Second Match… … … … … … …. 1.30 a,m

So on and so on. The schedule in depressing. Of the 12 countries participating the times of 7 of them do not tally with those of West Indies. It includes India. Besides Afghanistan the broadcasting time of India, Pakistan, Shri Lanka, Bangladesh,Afghanistan,besides New Zeland and Australia is so odd that in most of them the tv audience would be conspicuous by its absence. As regards the opening matches while people of one of the playing team would be preparing to retire for the night while in other they would have just got up and rubbing their eyes.

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While it is all right to say that no matter whether they is cheering crowd(in the stadium or before tvs the world over) is there or not the players must put for the their best performance. So they would. But it would be like the lifeless recitations of eminent actors playing before empty theatres. Of course perhaps the cricket grounds of the respective countries where the matches are being played would be crowded they are just an infinitesimal part of the world audience crowing before their respective tv sets.

Even god after creating the universe working overtime for a week had to have Adam and Eve to appreciate his workmanship.

Sandhaan or Sandan dari

Hey Friends,

Recently we had been to Sandhaan or Saandan Dari. Saandhan is a natural valley formed which is 3 ft to 20 ft in width, 50 -70 ft in height and 1-1.5 Kms long.

Its just next to Ratanwadi, the famous village which hoasts fort Ratangad, near Bhandardara.

To reach more do read this ..

http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=1974757451583453268